Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken (Print Format)

Chicken breasts filled with cheesy broccoli and peppers, baked to golden perfection for a savory meal.

# Ingredients:

→ Seasoning for Chicken

01 - 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 2 ¼ pounds)
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
05 - ¼ teaspoon onion powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Broccoli and Cheese Filling

07 - 1 ½ cups small-diced broccoli florets (~½-inch pieces), blanched and patted dry
08 - ¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
09 - 1 ⅓ cups shredded colby-jack cheese
10 - 1 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise

→ For Cooking

11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Cut a pocket lengthwise into the side of each chicken breast using a sharp paring knife, being careful not to cut all the way through. Gently use your fingers to widen the pockets. Set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, mix together the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Set the seasoning blend aside.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli florets, red bell pepper, colby-jack cheese, mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon of the reserved seasoning blend. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the broccoli florets.
05 - Fill each chicken breast pocket with a quarter of the broccoli mixture. Secure with 2-3 toothpicks per chicken breast to keep the filling in place.
06 - Use the remaining seasoning blend to sprinkle evenly over both sides of the stuffed chicken breasts.
07 - Preheat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and sear two stuffed chicken breasts at a time for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining two chicken breasts.
08 - Place all browned chicken breasts back into the skillet. Cover with foil and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165°F.
09 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks carefully before serving.

# Tips:

01 - For even cooking, use chicken breasts of the same size and lightly pound them to uniform thickness before cutting pockets.
02 - Frozen broccoli florets, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture, can be substituted for fresh blanched broccoli.
03 - Mild cheddar cheese is a suitable alternative for colby-jack cheese.

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